


Walking in the Shadows

by KinGinSister



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Creature Fic, F/M, Forests, Gore, Mythical Beings & Creatures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-10-19 22:42:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20664995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KinGinSister/pseuds/KinGinSister
Summary: A cryptid researcher finished his tour through the woods, on his way home. That is until that he stumbles upon something waking his curiosity, making him travel into his most dangerous research...





	Walking in the Shadows

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Little-Ozean](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Little-Ozean).

> Important: This story takes place in the "Cryptid AU" where most of the main characters are Cryptid creatures. The Eibon mentioned in the story is that version my friend made. Charlotte is her version of his wife. The creature is the cryptid version of my Eibon.
> 
> I apologize for any misspellings, English is not my first language.

A man swiftly moved through the large forrest, his dark skin and clothing barely noticeable if not totally hidden in the night. If it wasn't for the full moon and his knowledge with observation of these woods he would've gotten lost already. He was a researcher, a half blood of human and sorcerer. His dear wife was probably waiting at home for him.  
Eibon as his name was spent a lot of time on his researches, on the mystical creatures known as Cryptids. And these large woods was the home to many of them.

The fast footsteps snapped a few thin branches under his feet. That they snapped were quite a surprise, as usually he was one the one being called a stick due how overly skinny he was. It was until he stopped, the squishy noises from running in the muddy terrain fading. Eibon kneeled down, his hand tenderly tracing the ground. This couldn't be…  
But analyzing these fresh footprints even with his magic told the truth. Cryptid footprints.  
The sorcerer stared at them in awe. These were unusual for a Cryptid. No indicates of soft skin under the paws nor fur. 5 toes when only 4 on the hind legs hit the ground. 

But what got him the most was how abnormally large they were. Even compared to the biggest Cryptid he had met and also was a close friend, these were even bigger.  
Eibon gulped, taking out his notebook, quickly writing down all he had seen. A new species of Cryptid? But why was such a huge one not sighted before? Would he be the first one to do so? Why didn't the Cryptid have any fur and such odd traits? 

"12 am. While traveling through the woods, I came upon unknown footsteps. My magic analyser told me DNA wise these belong to a Cryptid. But I have never seen such cryptid footprints. They are the largest I have seen so far, no skin palms, no fur, more toes than usual. This "cryptid" is a weird one, hiding by these prints it is even larger than Death. I will follow these footprints to see if I can find the creature." 

So many questions his madness of knowledge now craved to answer while he wrote.  
He would find the creature and documentate everything about it. He had to.  
Eibon got back up, but kept his notebook out, following the large abnormal footprints through the mud. His dark green eyes blinked as rain started to fall. Ugh, as if this swamp like environment wasn't already bad enough to walk through. Whipping the raindrops off his glasses, he continued on. Something in his mind told him this was a bad idea. There were aggressive, dangerous cryptids. What if this abnormal one was as well? 

He could even d- No, no time for such thoughts. This creature, no matter how it acted or even had done needed to be discovered.   
It was when the smell of blood came to his nostrils that he stopped. Blood, whether the smell or sight was never a good sign. Well, he felt his blood level drop down, thinking what of what he could possibly find. Eibon looked back, to his surprise the forest around him seemed different. Much darker, the branches and trees larger much more intimidating. Apparently this creature had led him into a new part of the forest. Looking to the front, he noticed a faint light up the hill, where the trees didn't really set their roots to grow. Who else would be here by the middle of such a stormy night? 

Stepping up the muddy leaf covered hill, Eibon nearly fell a few times, grunting in annoyance. When he arrived on top, what was shown to him made him wish he didn't come up here.   
Whatever type of Cryptid this creature was, it had come across a base cryptid hunters had set up, apparently not too long ago.

Blood was splattered all over the place. 2 men were torn into pieces, having large bite and claw marks all over them. 1 was apparently skinned alive and left to bleed out.  
The last one laid scrawled out on the floor, a large cut going from chin to crotch. His innards carefully placed next to him after being taken out. He had a few deep cuts at his limbs and skull as if the creature wanted to see what is inside. It seemed like the creature had dissected this man, the skinned one as well...sort of. But why? Since when do predators study their prey like this? The way of dissecting was coming easily close to human level of preciseness… Eibon shook his head, looking around for more clues.  
4 cars were parked next to the fire, tents built up at them. Well, he supposed the torn fabric and sticks belonged to tents. All suitcases and transport boxes were opened, as if something looked wildly through them.

But what surprised Eibon the most was that the cars had large bite marks as well, even having parts of the engine and wheels bitten out in huge chunks. He had heard of cryptids biting on cars when scared or curious, but the hard resistance from the car usually made them stop really quickly. But… Judging these marks and the huge amount of salvia around them, this "cryptid" had bitten them on purpose as if trying to consume them, what made it even stranger.

"A cryptid that consumes metal?..." Eibon thought loudly while moving his hand over the marks. The only thing still intact was the small fire the hunters had set up. Which was also slowly fading the stronger the rain grew, making it only a matter of time until it would be extinguished completely.   
Eibon in the end just stopped there, shocked. Not even the most aggressive creatures or other cryptids he knew were capable of this cruelty. This was absolutely horrifying, indescribable even.   
With shaking hands, the researcher opened his notebook once more, taking notes once more, barely able to write it somewhat readable. 

"2 am. I stumbled upon what I suppose was a set up camp by cryptid hunters after walking up a hill where the footsteps led me. Was as the creature I follow was here before me not too long ago. This is a sight I can't really describe… I have never seen a creature, let alone cryptids mangle human bodies in this way. My magic analyser told me that these people had been alive during the whole process, making it even more disgusting. The cars seem to have large bite marks, the metal is not anywhere so I assume the creature consumed it."

While writing he didn't notice he was the one that been watched and studied ever since he went across the footsteps. Heavy steps with the sound of metal clanking approached the poor, already anxious man. Eibon nearly dropped his book, his dark hair waving around as he quickly looked around, checking his surroundings.   
"I g-gotta get out of here…"

Maybe it was for the best to just leave, coming back tomorrow with Death and Charlotte. Alone this was way too dangerous.   
Giving this mess of a base one last glance, the dark skinned man turned and ran. He had seen enough to know he shouldn't approach this creature alone, especially not at night.  
He didn't think it was even possible to run this fast, he nearly fell down on his face when rushing down the hill, trying to remember where he came from while running. 

Clank Clank Clank 

His eyes widened as he heard it again, nearby in the darkness. It was fast, going after him.  
The heart hammering in his chest, he looked around him, finding nothing however.   
This part of the forest he recognized, the trees becoming smaller and more he dared to say "friendly" looking. Anything better than that new part of the forest he had been in now.   
He would just have to get to the road, then-

SPLAT

Eibon didn't focus where his feet went, tripping and falling to the muddy ground which had gotten sticky like a swamp ground thanks to the rain which had gotten stronger by now.  
He lifted himself up to his knees, getting a small towel from his pocket to get the mud from his face. Everything looked blurry and unrecognizable. As his hand went up to rub his eyes, he noticed why. He lost his glasses with the fall. Great, getting to look for your glasses half blind in cold wet mud in the middle of the night while being chased by a creature. 

His fingers went through the ugly substance, finally gripping something he pulled out.  
Yuck. How would he clean these???   
His thoughts stopped as with a loud clank something landed behind him, freezing him in the spot. Deep raspy groans came from behind him, blowing into his dark brown hair.   
With it came the smell of metal and blood.   
Eibon was frozen in fear, he didn't dare to move. Without his glasses he couldn't even see anything. He just hoped the creature lost interest and would simply leave him alone. 

As a long cold tongue licked over his ear, leaving a thick trail of salvia on it, he let out a yelp of shock, barely containing himself as he fell once more in the mud, now turned around facing the creature which was above him, staring him down. Shaking, Eibon picked up his glasses and brushed the dirt of them, putting them back on, finally getting a good view on the creature, taking out his notebook one more time, beginning to write.

"3 am. I have run away from the hunter camp but...it...caught up with me.  
It is tall, taller than any creature I have ever seen, easily reaching 8'5. A humanoid male body without fur, except for the tip of it's lion like tail and the massive mane on his head, which however looks quite odd for fur. It almost looks like metal... In fact, the entire body with the lack of fur looked super shiny." Eibon took a glance at the "paws" if you could call them that.   
They looked more like knives bent into the shape of claws.   
"6 fingers on the "hands", 5 toes on the feet. The lower arms and legs are seemingly covered in metal sheets, except for the pitch black wrists. Speaking of pitch black, the arms and legs are pitch black as well, until their connection the torso. The torso itself is white with 4 red and yellow stripes on it. Massive antlers crown it's head…"   
It's ice blue glowing eyes looking directly in Eibon's green ones, who was occupied writing, not really able to oppose the frightening stare he was given.

"It's eyes are several shades of blue… The pupils glowing ice blue… It's body is covered in blood, not covering it's genitalia even with the lack of fur. Despite it's hostile appearance it doesn't- AAARGH!!!"   
Eibon screamed in terror as the creature's large cold metal claw grabbed him harshly by the neck, lifting him up from his feet to the other's face as if he was light as a pack of flour, while the notebook fell to the ground. 

Cold air escaped the cryptid's nostrils as it inspected the researcher who was strangling in his strong grip. Strange. This one didn't insult him, didn't shoot at him or anything else. Darker skin color than the ones he had killed at the camp. Tied hair, weird shiny thing on the face. He went closer, inhaling the other's scent. A human/sorcerer male, no animal blood on his hands, no evil thoughts, a loved one, feeling fear because of him. But...there was also the smell of something else. Something familiar, that made his grip tighten, causing tears to come up in Eibon's eyes as he kicked and struggled, his vision going blurry as he gasped desperately for air.

This smell activated an instinct that the mad men had given him when he was created. The smell of the creatures he was made to kill.   
His mouth opened in an usual fashion, with his jaw being split in two, a long tongue sliding over Eibon's face as he let out a loud hiss.  
It was until his ears twitched, hearing something running over the muddy, leaf covered ground at intense speed, easily rivaling his own. A loud growl sounded in the distance filled with anger and worry, as it approached. 

The creature could just spot two glowing red dots until he received a strong, anger filled hit with sharp claws into his stomach, causing him to drop Eibon and fly backwards, crashing 5 trees in the process. Eibon coughed, gasping heavily for air as he got up. He stared at the scene, who had saved him. Death.   
The large cryptid had it's dark fur and mane puffed up in anger, letting out a furious growl at the attacker of his friend he had sent flying. 

The pile of shattered trees rumbled, a large piece of them being thrown at Death, which he quickly dodged. This time Death didn't watch out, having his wrists grabbed by two large metal claws, bringing him to the ground.   
A real fight of two cryptids begun, which easily put that of two territorial lions to shame. Death kicked and scratched the attacker, who deeply bit his shoulder in return. He hissed, throwing the opponent off, just to jump at him again. Both rolled over the dirty floor, letting out loud growls and hisses of pain and anger. 

The creature managed to give Death a vicious hit on the head, making him fall to the floor with a loud thud. But before he could do more harm, Eibon stood in his way, hands raised.   
"S-stay back! I won't let you h-harm him!"  
He spoke with a scared, yet angry voice.   
The creature seemingly didn't care, aiming for Death's neck with it's next attack. But it didn't feel strong muscles and fur between it's fangs. Instead, what it got broke as if it was made of soft clay. 

SPLAT 

It had bitten Eibon's left arm, ripping it off clean from the shoulder joint, causing a massive amount of blood to spray from the wound.   
Eibon screamed in pain, holding onto the wound, not seeing he was still in potential danger. But the creature didn't give him a finishing blow. He just stared, the separated arm between his jaws, the pressure crunching it. This human was different, saving a cryptid. It was the first time he had seen this. Normally, all the humans he had met wanted to kill him, no matter what cost.

Death awoke from the scream of his friend, staring at the scene in horror. As much as he wanted to fight the creature, helping his friend who had protected him mattered more now. He grabbed Eibon, running away from there as fast as he could. 

Surprisingly the attacker didn't follow.

Eibon woke up, still very weakened from all the events that happened. He slowly turned in the bed he had been placed in, coughing as he looked at the window. Bright daylight.   
As he tried to block the sunlight he just noticed his left arm was gone, making him jolt up in shock, grabbing on the large bandaged wound in horror. So this hadn't been a dream. 

What happened…and what this creature did...was real. His breath quickened, letting out a soft gasp as the door opened. "Bunny?... Bunny!"  
It was his dear wife Charlotte, who ran up to his bed, nearly jumping on it in joy.   
It was only the fact Eibon was barely injured that made her remember she couldn't. 

"You silly bunny you! I was so worried! You didn't come home! It was so late...I…!" She gripped onto the blankets, kissing his cheek.  
"Death brought you here in a horrid state! Just what happened out there?! Y-your arm!..."   
So many questions, but deep down all she was only glad he had come home okay.  
"Tell me next time you plan to do something so dangerous!" She yelled.

Eibon rubbed his eyes, looking at his cracked glasses. His gaze went to his clothes and equipment which had been placed next to his bed. "My… My notebook. Where is it? I wrote down everything that I witnessed last night!" He jumped up, only to sink back into the pillow as pain rushed through his body. 

"No my dear… You won't go anywhere like this. You need to rest now. Death didn't bring a notebook…"   
"It… It must still be in the forest then. I need to get it as soon as possible…" Eibon huffed.  
"My arm… Is not the biggest problem. I can replace it. The biggest problem is...that thing I saw. That cryptid walking in the shadows of the woods…"


End file.
